Really Worried - Developing Amnesia
 

Hi <3 I hope you're each healing okay or at least continually...

I'm so distressed. My most significant concussion was in 2009. I've struggled with PCS ever since... had minor hits to the head althroughout healing too :( None of the symptoms went away and I'm worried that they are getting worse. Has anyone ever felt that way?

I'm back at school for the first time in 4 years. Only taking 2 courses but I don't think I can do it. I am working my hardest and I feel so sick. I can't keep up and I don't think I'm retaining anything without memory aids. I can't recall what I've learned if it's been more than a few seconds without having the material.

I've started becoming increasingly disoriented. I lose myself in time and space. Memories from before my head injury feel closer in time than memories after. It's so extreme that childhood memories feel closer to me than what happened two days ago. I'll look in a mirror and be surprised to not see someone much younger. I'll be in my room, knowing its my room, and then I'll look up and feel shock and have to remind myself it's my room. I don't know if this is extreme regression or if I am actually losing my memory/mind. I feel like I only remember things that happened since by seeing pictures. I worry that without social media showing me people, years would be blacked out from my memory. It's getting worse every day.

After looking it up and seeing that this is anterograde amnesia, I panicked. This happened today. Hours after, I remembered recent hits to the head. Once yesterday and once sometime last week... I'm so nauseous. I don't know if I have dementia because it keeps getting worse. It was getting worse despite the additional injuries.

I'm going to go to a hospital tomorrow because I'm too scared to go right now. I feel terrible - disjointed, petrified, and so confused.

Thanks for listening :/

easeinbeing / Corinne

Welcome back to NeuroTalk.

It sounds like you are having anxiety symptoms. Pushing your brain too hard can bring it to an overload level where anxiety symptoms can manifest.

I see you had a neuropsych assessment a few years ago. Did you get a report about your memory functions ? It is a primary part of a good NeuroPsych Assessment. Understanding how your memory does and does not work can be helpful to using your memory successfully. You may have better visual memory functions than auditory memory functions, or vise versa.

You mention recent hits to the head, what kind of hits to the head have you experienced recently ? What else is going on in your life that is stressful ? Stress makes the anxiety symptoms much worse.

What subjects/course have you been taking that are giving you a struggle ?

There are plenty of people here to support you. Please let us know how we can help. btw, Text emoticons are confusing to some of us as our brains may get stuck trying to make sense of a sentence. I often get stuck trying to remember or figure out what they mean.

My best to you.